Wednesday, February 25, 2009

A long journey ....its is been to get to that ...a wonderful sight this.

For years now - 17 to be precise - from the time of Roja, Gentleman, Thiruda Thiruda, many a crazy Rahmaniac has been following a musical messiah who goes by the name A R Rahman. The journey, an incredible one at that hasn't been easy - not for the man ...and neither for fans like me.

From

-Being scoffed at for being as crazy about anybody - the way I have been about ARR's music

-Being scolded by Dad for spending money on his albums

-Having to fight/reason out with people who never understand not just this man's music but also failed to understand the greater cause he represents

Its been a long journey - a wonderful journey though where we fans have enjoyed every little bit of magic created by this wonderful music composer and an even greater human being.

I stopped arguing, trying to make peoplem understand ARR's magic some years ago - as I look at it - its pointless and in any case, its their loss.

Today - there cannot be a person as happy as a true Rahmaniac like me. An Oscar (or 2 ) really does not increase or decrease our admiration for ARR. It doesn't change anything for us (except that we are the happiest folks on earth :-)). It sure would mean a lot to ARR - all the struggles, all the criticisms, sarcasms and hurdles he has had to overcome to reach the pinnacles of this music world - this is a true reward for all of that.

So heres saluting, probably the greatest ever musician in this world - at least in my world and probably in every Rahmaniac's world.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Have you ever had the experience of having heard a piece of music or probably an album and been "blown away" - wondering what hit you. With me an ARR album typically does that each time.

But today I am not going to speak about ARR or his music - this blog, almost 90% of the posts speak about that:-)

Today I am going to speak about Dev D and a certain composer called Amit Trivedi.

Dev D - has blown me away - and I admit if there was a Indian composer after ARR that I have come to appreciate this much - its the behind Dev D - a young 29 year old composer called Amit Trivedi. Mind you - he is just 2 albums old - and which brings me to Aamir - which was his previous album - an equally powerful and startling album that. This guy Amit is here to stay ( I just pray to the music gods - that he does - just pray that he doesn' get caught up in the routine world of usually crappy Bollywood music).

Coming back to this album now - this is not a album filled with soulful - heart-wrenching numbers. This is what I call an album where each and every track is fun - full of fun akin probably to the move theme. I doubt if these songs will even figure as full numbers in the movie - I think they will be destined to play in the background.

Will write a quick 1-line review of each track

It goes without saying on each of these that lyrics are absolutely offbeat, might appear zany ..but hear them closely and u will understand the genious behind it.

1. Emosanal Atyachar (Brass Band version) - Whacky, fun ... sounds like a north indian marriage band

10. Hiknaal - Oh ..we were missing a Punjabi number. Here comes one interlaced with some rocking guitaring ...absolutely great

11. Mahi Mennu - Another Punju number - but unclassifiable as a typical Punju number though. Classy yet again especially the beginning

12. Mahin Mennu Sad - alternate sad version

13. Nayan Tarse - Holy Cows ....from the start to end, this number takes you in a journey ...vocals ...music, the trumpet ....the vocals top everything else

14. Paayalia - Carnatic strumming at the beginning which turns into a weirdly wonderful number with some good vocals

15. Pardesi - This has to be one of the best ones in this album - absolutely ravishing tune, arrangement and great lyrics

16. Ranjhana - A sad situational number I presume with stunning vocals and a soothing pace and feel.

17. Saali Kushi - Jazzy number ....by a sad drunk lover I presume.

18. Yahi Meri Zindagi - I can't review this one. This one is sheer artistry ..the music, the rhythm, the arrangements and ofcourse the singing aspect

This is one hell of a Celebration ...this album ..a Celebration of music that I have been missing from any composer except ARR. This album makes me want to believe that there is hope for Indian composers. It doesn't start and end with ARR - this guy Amit Trivedi is a complete musician .whether its the music, the rhythm, his own singing or the voices he has used.

I pray that this guy doesn't get lost in the crowd - lost in the dirty world of mundane Indian film music.

Here's to Dev D (I also recommend his previous work Aamir - that is another gem of an album which unfortunately I missed last year only to discover it now through Dev D)

Sunday, December 21, 2008

The world of music and music itself has no boundaries, no limits. Each passing day, I discover new music that is just so wonderful and that every time I think that there can be nothing new - bam !!! theres more of new music and I am back on the road to discovery.

Whether it was in the days of my tryst with Indian classical (south indian carnatic mostly with the likes of L Vaidynathan or MS or Mandolin Srinivas or for that matter Shakti (fusion indian classical) and beyond) or the world of Gazals (jagjit singh, ghulam ali ...and beyond) or classic hindi music of the wonder years ...50's, 60's and 70's (SD, RD, Salil Chaudhary et al ) or ARR or Rock (from my hard metal days of Maiden to Experimental Rock such as TV on the Radio) or just World music (just too many of them to write about) ......all of it has just been such an amazing, pleasant and a eye-opening journey that I could (and probably will someday) write a book about it.

Anyway, being nostalgic and describing my journey was not the intent of this post .....The intent was to introduce everyone to some of the wonderful new music I have been listening to the past few weeks

First up

Amadou & Mariam -

Amadou and Mariam are a musical duo from Mali, composed of the couple Mariam Doumbiaand Amadou Bagayoko. The pair, known as "the blind couple from Mali" met at Mali's Institute for the Young Blind, and found they shared an interest in music.

Listen to this for a little dose of their wonderful music

Anathallo

Anathallo is a Indie Rock ensemble originally from Michigan and now based in Chicago, Illinois. The band started practicing in the fall of 2000 and played their first show soon afterward. Their name is derived from a Greek word meaning "to renew, refresh or bloom again.

Try the song 'A Great Wind more Ash' from either of the sites below to hear their magic ....

This year, the western world seems to have finally woken up to this man's magic in the form of the magical score for Slumdog Millionaire. Though, Hollywood and the world outside India has seen glimpses of his works in the past - its this year that ARR finally gets his due.

To be honest, I don't believe that the Western world needed to recognize this man's genious and act as a stamp of approval to convince us Rahmaniacs - he is at a much higher altar already for the millions here - its just that I feel good, I feel proud and I feel really really happy for his success.

Cheers to ARR on his acheivements this year, for all the wonderful music he has given over the years and for being the humble and down-to-earth person that he is.

Yes for the amazing cast selection and the brilliant potrayals of their roles by each character.

Yes for the storyline (mind u ..if u think this is an exact adaptation of QnA, you might be in for a surprise)

Yes for Danny Boyle - if it hadn't been for ARR, the name Danny Boyle would still have made me go watch this movie

And of course the biggest Yes for ARR - A thumping, pulsating score worth every bit in gold (my opinion) - Jai Ho is wonderful and so are the bits and pieces of bgm's and other songs thrown in between.

A mild No - for editing (feel the editing could have been a better, made the movie a little more crispier)

A mild No - because ..probably its something that captivates the rest of the world (the fascination ..that is India) more than it might do us Indians (brickbats please)

Is it a recommended watch - Yes ..defnitely though I would have loved to hear more ARR stuff in there.